MAMEWorld Forums - EmuChat - Re: Simpler explanation?

> > This being my first experience with MAME, is patching up to 172 a relatively simple
> > process, or do I have to re-download, re-install and re-configure?
>
> These guys are complicating matters for you, and I think they misunderstood your
> question.
>
> MAME 0.172 will be released at the end-of-the-month (MAME development is on a monthly
> schedule so to speak.)
>
> You do not need to compile MAME youself to try the new hiscore.lua support, you only
> need to do so if you want to try it before release. If you are patient and wait a few
> more days for the release of MAME 0.172, there will be a Windows binary package
> released for download at mamedev.org, and you just need to download MAME again.
>
> When it is released, download MAME 0.172 and extract it into your MAME folder.
> Provided you do this correctly, this will overwrite every file in the folder except
> anything that doesn't come packaged with MAME: ROMS, artwork, samples, etc. So it
> will leave your "user files" alone.

This is precisely what I was looking for. I am setting up this cab as a project, something I've been wanting to do for a long time, and I'm under no timetable. I don't mind waiting a few days to get this support, as I actually haven't even built the physical cabinet yet. It's all in pieces as I test ROMs and software. Thanks for this information.

> ---
>
> "Do you need to re-download, re-install and re-configure" - MAME 0.172 will have
> several new settings that can be configured either from the command-line or by using
> the MAME INI files. It would be recommended to rename your old INI file, let MAME
> 0.172 generate a new one, and then copy your changed settings over or reconfigure
> them from the GUI. You won't need to do this per-game normally, or per-category. Just
> the main MAME configuration file.
>
> As for ROMs, occasionally well-known ROM sets do change between versions. MAME
> developer Vas Crabb did a decent writeup of this situation on reddit a week or two
> ago:
> https://www.reddit.com/r/MAME/comments/49nwg7/okay_whats_the_deal_with_mame/d0tc7ms
>
> Generally speaking, you don't HAVE to download everything all over again with a new
> MAME release. The majority of your ROMs, artworks, samples will be unaffected by the
> change. In the event that MAME requires something new from you, it *will* let you
> know.
>
> I feel like there's many questions that you have that are waiting to be answered in
> the FAQ: http://wiki.mamedev.org/index.php?title=Frequently_Asked_Questions
> and in MAME's documentation: http://docs.mamedev.org
>
> - Stiletto

I will pour over the FAQ, and look forward to seeing what I need to reconfigure with the new MAME version. I'm also very much looking forward to persistent high score support. Thanks Stiletto, and B2K2, and everyone else who's been very helpful here.